Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Mrs Sarah Ann Smith. The War Diary for today records. 12.30am. Brigade HQ. moved to Battalion HQ. TENAILLE DE GUISE. 1.00am. Hostile bombardment began, trench mortars and field guns east of canal, 10.5 and 15cm on main resistance line west of canal and on CORMICY – CAUROY ROAD. -?- gas and then about 50% phosgene shells were used west of canal. Smoke was greatly used east of canal. 3.15am. The enemy attacked our front system, the pressure being chiefly from the north, old communication trenches were greatly used by the enemy. The two front Companies filled in their post blocks and fought their positions to the end. 6.15am. Enemy penetrated into LA NEUVILLE. Shelling an area west of canal increased, gas shelling having then ceased. 7.20am. Enemy crossed canal and pushed forward in long grass towards main resistance line. 8.40am. Enemy captured P.C. ROUMANIE and then continued bombing down to BOZAN D’ECLUSE SUD until he reached TOURNAI TRENCH. RIGA post was still holding out and heavy bombing was going on in the vicinity of it. The enemy twice attempted to attack the main resistance line from the front with lines of waves but these were defended with rifle and light gun fire, MARCEAU and HOCHE posts inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy during these attacks. He then started long bombing attacks assisted by light trench mortars on the posts along the communication trenches. 6.15am. HOCHE was captured and the line to the north west had fallen to within 200 yards of CORMICY. A defensive flank was formed between CORMICY and MARCEAU facing north west. 12.30pm. The garrison at MARCEAU held off all frontal and bombing attacks by enemy until 12.30pm when the post was captured by great superiority of numbers. Heavy concentration of artillery on TENAILLE DE GUISE. 2.45pm. Many efforts by the enemy to take TENAILLE DE GUISE from the front were repulsed and he again developed heavy bombing attacks on the post. Heavy casualties were inflicted on their bombing parties. 3.00pm. The small garrison that remained at the post was driven in and withdrew to the sunken road junction south east of CORMICY. 4.00pm. The enemy occupied the BOUFFIGNEREUX ROAD north west of CORMICY and his patrols had reached the CAUROY ROAD to the south east. A frontage of about 700 yards was taken up on the high ground 300 yards south west of CORMICY and the details that remained organised into five small posts. The left was in touch with the 62nd Brigade but on the right there was a big gap watched only by an officers patrol. The high ground was heavily shelled until about 7.00pm. 6.30pm. The enemy continued his attack from the south east in the open. Making excellent targets for light guns. 7.45pm. The enemy penetrated our line on the left and worked round behind the small posts held by the Battalion. 8.00pm. Report received from Officer Commanding 2nd LINCOLNSHIRE REGT that the enemy were in the CHALONS DE VERGEUR valley. The few HQ details still remaining then withdrew with the 2nd LINCOLNSHIRE REGT. 11.00pm. 40 stragglers arrived at VAUX VARENNES and these with 10 men of Battalion HQ. were handed over to form a composite Battalion from the Brigade under command of the Officer Commanding 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT.